NO DEAL WITH IBB – JONATHAN

In a statement, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ima Niboro, reacting to a publication (not Daily Sun), insinuating that President Jonathan complained to some northern groups that visited him that some South-South governors were out to sabotage him, said the newspaper's refusal to correct the report despite being reminded that it was false, was an ongoing campaign of calumny against the President.

Niboro said this is even moreso when there is no purpose to be served by it, since the long suffering masses would decide who governs them in a free and fair contest.

'Anyone who has even a passing acquaintance with the President knows he is not one who dissuades people from pursuing their personal ambitions. This is even moreso when there is no purpose to be served by it, since the long suffering mass of the Nigerian people would decide who governs them in a free and fair contest.

'Since June 12, 1993, Nigerians have in successive elections become wiser. The next presidential elections, no matter who the candidates are, would sound a resonant. Never Again! Never again shall the will of the Nigerian people be quashed underfoot by the vaunting ambitions of a few.

'This is what the President has promised Nigerians, and he is fully committed to delivering on this pledge. It is therefore, unfortunate that any self-respecting newspaper should lend its pages to reporting a series of lies against the person and the institution of the Presidency. These tales are unverified and sourced from openly interested parties. They are lies, pure and simple.

'The fact is that President Jonathan had been meeting different leaders on different occasions and platforms. Some have come to inform him of their intentions to run for the Presidency. Others he has met with as a matter of courtesy being a sitting President, and keen to ensure that the next presidential elections do not degenerate into a do or die affair as our elections are sometimes wont to do.

'He has met with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; he has met with Babangida; he has met with Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, and will meet him again soon. He has met with Gen. Yakubu Gowon, two-time president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; former president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari; former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme, and former head of state, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar. He will meet with even more leaders and political actors as the race to 2011 heats up.

'It is extremely uncharitable for anyone to spin these meetings in such negative lights, and attempt to force the President into retreat from these well-thought out engagements with political leaders of all hue and disposition in the interest of the country.

'We think it is time to put an end to this long line of false stories and verify what is served to the general public,' Niboro said.